Chasing the elusive Black Marias

Photos of Alco’s mid-1940’s Black Maria freight diesels are extremely scarce. Obviously one factor was the short time the units operated. When Jerry A. Pinkepank and Kalmbach Publishing Co. issued the first Diesel Spotter’s Guide in 1967, no photos of the units had come to light, so on page Alco-49, below the technical description of […]

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News & Products for July 23, 2009

Bachmann HO scale Union Pacific Electro-Motive Division DD40ax Centennial diesel locomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry., CSX, Illinois Central, Iowa Interstate, Louisville & Nashville, and Penn Central. Two road numbers each. Factory-installed wire grab irons and McHenry scale magnetic knuckle couplers. $69.98. November 2009. Ready-to-Roll. Athearn Trains Bachmann HO scale Union Pacific Electro-Motive Division DD40ax Centennial diesel locomotive Union Pacific Electro-Motive […]

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National Train Show 2009 final report

Athearn Trains HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP15 diesel locomotive

The National Model Railroad Association’s annual National Train Show was held in Hartford, Conn., from July 10-12. What follows is a list of new products announced by model railroad manufacturers exhibiting at the show. This list includes items not announced before the show; products revealed to Model Railroader before the show were listed in our […]

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Con-Cor International HO scale Electroliner

With a sharp looking model of the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee’s iconic Electroliner interurban, Con-Cor has captured the romance of what some call the golden age of the streamliner. The HO scale ready-to-run model is accurately detailed inside and out and can be easily converted to Digital Command Control (DCC). A desperate gamble. The […]

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Roco-Fleischmann HO scale digital passenger train set no. 6041273

Price: $1,169.99ManufacturerRoco-Fleischmann Modelleisenbahn groupSilvergate Distributors Inc.9755 Birch Canyon Place, Suite 200San Diego, CA 92126silvergatedistributors.comComments: The digitally controlled features on this HO scale German-prototype passenger set may make North American-prototype modelers a bit jealous. The locomotive and all three passenger cars feature realistic lights, sounds, and other user-controlled effects. Using a Model Rectifier Corp. Prodigy Advance […]

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Atlas O Phase II GP7

WHEN I WAS A LAD, GEEP 7s AND 9s WERE EVERYWHERE. There were so many that they blended in with the boxcars and hoppers, and often I didn’t bother to photograph a Geep passing by, but waited for either a cab unit or newer power. The truth is that while the Electro-Motive Division’s (EMD) cab-body […]

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National Train Show 2009 preliminary report

Bachmann HO scale Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 articulated-steam-locomotive with VC12 Vanderbilt tender

Once again, Model Railroader magazine is reporting from the National Train Show, which this year is being held in Hartford, Conn., from July 10-12. What follows is a list of new products being announced by model railroad manufacturers exhibiting at the show. This is a preliminary list, including items revealed to Model Railroader before the […]

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Kato N Scale SD70ACe Rio Grande Heritage

I just received my new (and long anticipated) Kato N scale SD70 ACe D&RGW Heritage locomotive. I am truly impressed with the detail. The locomotive has flawless paintwork, crisp decaling and runs like a dream with the Kato five-pole motor with dual brass flywheels. This locomotive comes prototypically accurate with bolsterless non-radial HTSC truck and […]

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Official Rules for Model Railroader’s photo contest!

2007 photo contest Grand Prize winner Richard Bourgerie Enter Model Railroader’s photo contest! Show off your modeling and photography skills, and you could win up to $750 in Model Railroader magazine’s photo contest! You don’t have to be a professional to win, just have an eye for images that capture the action and creativity of […]

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Bachmann HO scale 44- and 70-ton switchers

Bachmann HO scale 44- and 70-ton switchers

Bachmann HO scale 44- and 70-ton switchers Price: $75 (44-ton), $69 (70-ton)Manufacturer: Bachmann TrainsRoad names: 44 ton: Boston & Maine, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Pennsylvania. Painted/unlettered versions: Yellow with black stripes (pictured), black, green with yellow handrails. 70 ton: Bethlehem Steel, Louisville & Nashville, Southern Pacific, all two road numbers each. Painted but unlettered […]

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Bachmann HO scale 45-ton switcher

Bachmann HO scale 45-ton switcher

Bachmann HO scale 45-ton switcher Operating siderods and smooth slow-speed performance highlight this HO scale General Electric 45-ton industrial switcher. Part of Bachmann’s Spectrum series, the HO 45-tonner features die-cast metal construction and a dual-mode Digital Command Control decoder that operates on DC and DCC layouts. Prototype. General Electric built 475 45-ton switchers for North […]

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Atlas O EMD GP7 diesel locomotive

Atlas O EMD GP7 diesel locomotive

Atlas O EMD GP7 diesel locomotive Here’s a brand new model of Electro-Motive Division’s classic GP7 road switcher, and it’s a beauty. It combines the utilitarian look of the prototype with a powerful mechanism that’s suitable for nearly any assignment. Manufactured by Atlas O, this well-detailed locomotive is offered ready-to-run with a factory-installed QSI sound […]

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